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(Image credit: The Vault) Share Copy link Facebook X Pinterest Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Love it or loathe it, AI is here to stay. Much of what we're told about artificial intelligence is steeped in negativity and a degree of scaremongering—from scare stories of robots taking over the world to dwindling water reserves—often the case when we're faced with something that many struggle to comprehend.
But there is one area where the advancements in computer science may be a solution to an ever more pertinent problem: women's health. Despite making up roughly 50% of the population, women's health is chronically underfunded and misunderstood. Decades of having our pain and symptoms minimised and brushed off are only recently starting to be taken more seriously, with conditions such as (but not limited to) endometriosis and PMOS finally receiving the airtime that they deserve.
In fact, recent research conducted by the University of St Andrews reveals that women are less likely to be offered treatments such as surgery or strong painkillers when presenting with exactly the same symptoms as men—even more baffling, when you consider that biologically speaking, women go through more medically significant periods throughout their lifetimes (including menstrual cycles, children, menopause and more).
Which makes it even more significant, then, that we're turning to AI in droves for medical advice. A 2026 YouGov survey showed that 8% of UK adults use AI as their first port of call for medical advice, a figure that rises to 13% for Millennials. Given that women are more likely to seek GP advice than men (according to this research from the British Medical Journal ), it's not a huge leap to assume that many of these are also women.
So, can AI provide the understanding and information that is still so lacking in traditional medical settings? As many of us turn to cycle tracking apps and more, it could make perfect sense. We asked a range of experts for their honest opinions on this—keep scrolling to read their take.
It's safe to say that the AI and women's health conversation is an engaging one. Whether you're pro-AI, on the fence or staunchly against it in all its forms, it's worth keeping an open mind on this.
So, how can it help us understand our health better? The answer is multi-layered—and fascinating.
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Women's bodies—unlike men's—are cyclical, which has traditionally been one of the complexities in women's health research.
"Women's bodies run on rhythms—monthly cycles, pregnancy, perimenopause—and those rhythms create huge amounts of data that, until now, nobody had the time to make sense of," agrees fertility coach and nutritional therapist Monica Kranner . "AI can connect the dots between sleep, mood, energy, cravings, cycle length and symptoms in a way a ten-minute GP appointment never could. Patterns that women have been describing for years, and often been dismissed, suddenly become visible and measurable."
If you've ever wondered why you're feeling tired, headachey and drained—only to start your period the very next day, you'll relate to the idea that even when symptoms are (with hindsight) seemingly obvious, they can be easy to overlook. Here's where AI can help—take period tracking apps, for example.
"AI can help connect a health picture that is often fragmented," shares founder of Fueld , Glenn Smith. "It can link nutrition, blood tests, specialist reports, wearable data and someone's own account of their symptoms. Considering these together can make patterns easier to explore and help us highlight the right areas when speaking with a healthcare professional.
"Women's health is much broader than reproductive health alone, so this can cover not just menstrual health and perimenopause; it also extends to cardiovascular and metabolic health."
Unless you have the means to go private, getting a face-to-face GP appointment can be like gold dust—and if you are lucky enough to land one, you'll only have a few minutes to download all your concerns. AI, on the other hand, has all the time in the world.
"For me, one of the most interesting questions is: what happens when women finally have a tool that will sit with the detail of their symptoms for as long as they need it to?" notes consultant psychologist Dr Louise Goddard-Crawley . "Women's health can be incredibly complex, and historically it hasn't been researched to the same extent as men's health. Symptoms can cut across hormones, fertility, pregnancy, menopause, mental health, sleep, medication and physical health, and it can be difficult to make sense of how everything fits together.
"AI gives women the time and space to put the whole picture down, organise what has been happening, understand terminology and work out what might be worth taking to a doctor."
Used well, AI can help women advocate for themselves—something that, traditionally, we're not all brilliant at.
"AI can help women walk into an appointment with a clearer idea of what has been happening and what they want to ask," Dr Goddard-Crawley shares.
It also takes away some of the societal pressures that can come alongside a doctor's appointment. "You can ask AI the same question in different ways, go back over something you didn't understand or mention a detail you thought might be irrelevant, without feeling you're taking up too much time," she adds.
AI has shown that it has the potential to support diagnoses, and this is a developing area. the experts admit that it's exciting.
"A Swedish MASAI AI-supported breast screening trial detected a greater proportion of cancers while maintaining the same specificity as standard screening," shares Smith. "That is evidence of benefit in a defined clinical setting, and as these tools improve, we expect their contribution to diagnosis to grow. Each application still needs testing in the people and settings where it will be used, but the promise is a clearer picture, a better conversation and a more informed next step."
If you've ever lost your train of thought and totally forgotten what you meant to say at the GP—you're not alone. So, popping your concerns into AI from the comfort of your own home might ease some of these worries.
"There can also be a sense of neutrality with AI," agrees Dr Goddard-Crawley. "You don't have to worry about sounding dramatic or silly, being embarrassed, or whether someone has already formed an impression of you. AI isn't truly objective, of course, but the interaction can feel less socially loaded."
Of course, AI isn't the perfect solution to the women's healthcare paradox, so if you're still on the fence—we're right there with you. And honestly? We wouldn't use it to diagnose a broken nail, let alone a legitimate medical concern.
"The obvious problem to me is that AI can be wrong while sounding incredibly convincing," cautions Dr Goddard-Crawley. "It can miss important context, make a connection that sounds plausible but isn't, or reassure someone when they actually need medical assessment."
Additionally, it's worth bearing in mind that AI works by utilising existing knowledge—something that the experts warn is distinctly lacking when it comes to medical research on women. "AI doesn't magically remove these gaps or biases," shares Dr Goddard-Crawley.
It's also wise to remember that AI is only as good as the questions we're asking it, and it can soon start to resemble an echo chamber.
"There's a psychological risk, too," Dr Goddard-Crawley acknowledges. "Over time, an AI conversation can start to reflect the concerns and assumptions the user brings to it. If someone is anxious about a symptom and repeatedly asks about increasingly frightening possibilities, AI may continue engaging with those possibilities rather than recognising that the questioning itself has become part of the anxiety.
"This means you can end up in a negative feedback loop where the conversation inadvertently gives more weight to a fear than it deserves. And for someone prone to health anxiety, that constant availability can also make reassurance-seeking very easy."
"Ask it to explain a result, summarise changes in your eating and sleep, or prepare questions for an appointment," he advises. "Check that it has understood your information correctly. Diagnosis and treatment decisions need appropriate professional assessment; urgent symptoms should never wait for an app's interpretation."
One of the biggest concerns around AI has to be how safe your information is.
"Be deliberate about privacy," cautions Smith. "Ask where your information is stored and (importantly) processed, including when it is passed to an external AI provider. Does it stay in the UK or EU, or travel to the US or elsewhere? Who can access it, is it used to train models, and can you delete it?
"You should understand where your health data goes as clearly as you understand the insight coming back."
Constantly tracking and monitoring stats certainly isn't for everyone, and if you're prone to health anxiety or obsessing over results, you may want to check yourself.
"I'd also pay attention to how you're using AI," shares Dr Goddard-Crawley. "If you notice you're asking the same question repeatedly, looking for certainty or becoming more frightened with every answer, that's probably the point to stop. The AI may still be answering your questions, but the conversation may no longer be helping you."
Last but not least, do keep in mind that you're essentially dealing with a computer—which has limitations.
"AI can be really useful for helping you understand information, organise symptoms, prepare for an appointment or think about what questions you might want to ask," Dr Goddard-Crawley explains. "But we also need to remember what it can't do. It can't examine you, take observations, see the full clinical picture or take responsibility for a diagnosis. I'd use it as another source of information and a way of thinking things through, rather than as a replacement for medical care."
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"Anecdotally, women tell me all the time that they don't feel listened to or taken seriously in healthcare," shares Dr Goddard-Crawley. "I see women trying very hard to manage how they present their distress. They can be frightened, in pain or desperately worried, but at the same time conscious that they mustn't appear 'hysterical' or overdramatic in case that makes them less credible. There can be this extraordinary pressure to be distressed, but not too distressed; informed, but not challenging; worried, but still completely reasonable.
"That being said, I think that context matters when we talk about women using AI. We shouldn't assume why women are turning to it, because we don't know. However, having a space where we feel able to describe exactly what is happening, without having to manage how we are being perceived while doing so, is an interesting and appealing concept for many women."
Anna Bartter Health Writer Anna Bartter is a freelance journalist who writes about health, fitness and women's lifestyle for publications including Women's Health, Stylist, The iPaper, Metro and Psychologies, among others.
She's always on a quest to find a variety of fun and functional workouts that give you the most bang for your workout buck and she's passionate about championing movement for everyone's mental and physical wellbeing.
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